atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Telephone Repairs & Equipment Looking for help please!

My wife bought a 2nd hand phone that is made to look like an old oak wall phone. After looking around the net, I believe the guts are actually a 79 we554. The issue is the ringer does not ring. I do not know that much about electronics, but I did check the voltage at the block where the green and red lines come in and it reads 56 volts when it rings. There is no visible damage to the ringer coil etc, so I am not sure if it is bad or from what I have read, Verizon fios may not supply enough power to make it ring? I disconnected all the other phones, but nothing. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

56 volts is too low...standard gong ringers used 90-105 Volts.

Put a jumper between terminals L1 and G, or you can just move the black wire from terminal G to terminal L1.

The ringer probably is a C4A type, and has 4 leads on it. If you can verify that, here are the wiring instructions for such a ringer:


Red lead goes on one of the incoming line wires. Black lead goes on the other incoming line wire. (You can use screw terminals on the network--that block with all the screws--that are convenient, such as L1, L2, G.

The slate (gray) ringer wire and the slate/red ringer wire are attached to the screws marked "A" and "K" on the top of the network. Inside the network, those screws are attached to either end of a capacitor. It allows AC (anywhere from 60 to 105 volts is the FCC standard) to operate the ringer. It also blocks DC that is used for the talking circuit.

There are a multitude of websites that explain all this. Just Google around for "500-type telephone" If you need to see a wiring diagram (The phone company calls them "practices") then Google for "500 telephone BSP" BSP stands for Bell System Practices.

Our friend Paul Fassbender has put together the definitive Western Electric telephone website

https://www.paul-f.com

that explains the evolution of all the models, with references to the correct BSP.

Take a look at this one, on page 15.

https://www.telephonecollectors.inf...-501-101-i8-ref-500-501-554-556-types-tl

Thanks everyone for the replies. The phone has a single 4 wire ringer. I have tried wiring the ringer as described with and without the grey/slate grey and still nothing. The ringer coil looks as good as new, not that means it will work. Is there any easy way to bench test it without sophisticated equipment?
The ringer is marked 65a if that helps at all? It is identical to this one on ebay: (https://www.ebay.com/itm/261352379741?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649) which I will gladly buy if that will fix it? Thanks again for the help!

"I have tried wiring the ringer as described with and without the grey/slate grey and still nothing."

I do not understand what you mean by "with and without". It will only work "with."

Here is a diagram to follow:

click

Follow Arthur's instructions for the wiring.

If you want to check the ringing voltage you need the right meter. Ringing voltage is superimposed over the tip and ring's DC voltage. I'm pretty sure you're reading the DC line voltage and not the ringing current. Ring current is 20hz, you can get an idea with a voltmeter set to AC, but it won't be accurate.

Your best bet is if you can get you hands on a working old standard phone and see if it rings on the line, if wiring it correctly doesn't work.

If you have an ohmmeter, check between the Red and Red/Slate leads for a resistance of 2650 ohms, and between the Black and Slate leads for a resistance of 1000 ohms. There should be no continuity between any other combination of leads.

You can buy an adequate digital volt-ohm meter on Amazon or other on-line sources for twelve bucks.

meter

That type of ringer is notorious for just dying without warning. They were used in smaller phones, like Trimlines® and other later phones. I suggest that you get a C4A which will outlive you. Want me to send you one?

Or you could use a Sonalert® (piezoelectric buzzer) in series with a .5 mFd capacitor, both available at Radio Shaft.

Hi Arthur, if you believe that this will solve the problem, I would be happy to buy it from you. Looking at it online it appears to be a 2 bell ringer? I would need to make a mount for it, but in the big oak box that this phone has, it should not be too difficult to make it fit. I can pay-pal you for it or mail you payment?
My wife will be very happy if I can get this to work for her.Let me know when you can. Thanks!

Please tell me your shipping address.